ABSTRACT
AIM:To investigate the effect of salvianolic acid B (Sal B) on high glucose-induced phenotypic transition and extracellular matrix (ECM) secretion in human glomerular mesangial cells (HGMCs) and the underlying mechanisms.METHODS:HGMCs were randomly divided into control group, high glucose group and high glucose plus high dose, medium dose and low dose of Sal B groups.The HGMCs except those in control group were exposed to high glucose (33.3 mmol/L) for 72 h, while those in Sal B groups were co-incubated with indicated concentrations of Sal B.The protein levels ofα-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) , transforming growth () and phosphorylated Smad2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were determined by Western blot.The secretion levels of collagen type I (Col I) , collagen type III (Col III) , fibronectin (FN) and laminin (LN) were measured by ELISA.RESULTS:Exposure to high glucose markedly increased the protein expression ofI, Col III, FN and LN in the HG-MCs (P<0.01).The phosphorylation levels of Smad2 and p38 MAPK were also significantly increased (P<0.01).Coincubation with Sal B evidently decreased the protein expression ofI, Col III, FN and LN in the HGMCs induced by high glucose (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The phosphorylated levels of Smad2 and p38 MAPK were also reduced noticeably (P<0.05 or P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Sal B significantly suppresses high glucose-induced phenotypic transition and ECM secretion in the HGMCs, which might be attributed, at least partly, to inhibition ofSmad signaling pathway and p38 MAPK activation.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To discuss correlations between the chemical constituents of different endophytic fungi and their host and provide basis of researching the mechanism of some endophytic fungi which have the abilities to produce the same or similar chemical constituents as their host plant product. Methods: Chemical compounds derived from the endophytic fungi and their host Spiramthes sinensis were tested by HPLC, and the correlation data were analysed by SPSS 16.0. Results: The clustering is not obvious between petroleum ether extracts of fungi; the result of study on the ethyl acetate extracts and water-saturated n-butanol extracts showed that fungi isolated from the same organ tended to cluster together and the same species fungi tended to cluster together. Conclusion: Correlation among the petroleum ether extracts of the fungi is not obvious. The correlation between the ethyl acetate extracts are the most obvious in organ from which the fungi isolated and within the species.